As expected, the decision by TSC that it would only hire graduates who had a mean score of C+ and above has elicited strong opposition because it affects so many people. TSC is not the first to set a bar on its recruitment. Employers in the private sector have always looked at secondary school education as a guide to the quality of mind for hire. The directive by the TSC secretary Gabriel Lengoboini has raised a ruckus because the commission is the largest employer of teachers. So many graduates who spent a fortune studying for a degree to teach in secondary schools have had their dreams shattered. When university education expanded exponentially in the last decade, it was a good development because it absorbed quite a number of people who had qualified but would otherwise have not got a degree unless they pursued their education abroad or in neighbouring Uganda. But with this expansion, came the drop in standards. Universities expanded without increasing their capacities to manage the numbers. Middle-level colleges were converted to universities. The focus was profits. The move by TSC should be a wakeup call for universities and education policy makers. The drive to have every secondary school leaver get a university education whether they qualify or not is not a brilliant idea. University education can be expanded while at the same time maintaining high standards. First and foremost, government must ensure that while churning out graduates, the country also trains artisans.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 17:38:32 +0000
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